Treatment of fiber with water containing fine powder of noble metal dispersed therein

ABSTRACT

Burn noble metal in high-pressure water using hydrogen and oxygen to produce noble metal micro-dispersion water in which super-fine noble metal particles are dispersed, and use the obtained noble metal micro-dispersion water to treat fiber products in order to provide high-function fiber products, typically clothes, which offer excellent health-promoting function and cleanliness-improving function.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/492,247, filed Jul. 6, 2004, which is the U.S. National Phase under35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application PCT/JP02/10565, filed onOct. 11, 2002, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No.2001-315171 filed on Oct. 12, 2001. The disclosure of the U.S. PatentApplication is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. TheInternational Application was published under PCT Article 21(2) in alanguage other than English.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to fiber treatment using noble metalmicro-dispersion water. Specifically, the invention relates to a fibertreatment agent comprising noble metal micro-dispersion water, a methodfor treating fiber using such treatment agent, and a high-function fibermaterial or product obtained through treatment using such treatmentagent.

2. Description of the Related Art

Reflecting the growing trend toward healthier and cleaner lifestylechoices, products that offer benefits in promoting health or improvingcleanliness are drawing the attention. In particular, demands andrequests for these products are increasing in the areas of food,clothes, daily necessities, etc. Among others, clothes (fiber products)are always worn on our body, and accordingly there are strong consumerdemands for clothes that can effectively promote heath, prevent diseasesor improve cleanliness.

Against this backdrop, healthy clothes have been actively studied andmany products have been developed to date. For example, clothes offeringdisease-curing effects are commercially available, which utilize fibermaterial or carbon fiber that generates far infrared rays or magnetism.At the same time, tormarine-based fiber products claiming afatigue-relief effect and clean, antibacterial fiber products utilizinginorganic compounds, chitosan, etc., are also generating interest.

However, many of these commercial products are yet to offer satisfactorylevels of health-promoting function or cleanliness-improving efficacy oreven the basic clothing function, and the aforementioned consumerdemands are not fully answered yet.

On the other hand, noble metals, especially gold, have been consideredsome of the most valuable materials available to men since the ancienttimes and used primarily in ornaments and treasures. In recent years,gold has been found to promote human health and improve cleanliness andis used in such applications as pure-gold health bracelet or Japanesesake containing gold foil. Of late, silver compounds are also used incommercial products as an antibacterial agent that improves cleanliness.

However, the health benefits of these health products have not beenfully recognized, despite their very pricey nature due to use of puregold, etc.

In recent years, the health functions of noble metals have been againdrawing the attention of the increasingly health-conscious public. Inparticular, gold ion and fine gold particles are now known to offer moreremarkable health-promoting function than gold metal itself or goldfoil.

Among all noble metals, gold in the form of gold ion or fine goldparticle is generating interest as a material potentially offeringhealth-promoting function and disease-curing effect, and technologies toharness these possibilities of gold are eagerly awaited. The basicapplication modes of gold include aqueous solution or water dispersioncontaining gold ions and fine gold particles. However, several problemsmust be solved before they can be put to practical use.

For example, it is difficult to dissolve gold ions and fine goldparticles in water, and the only methods available before were thosethat simply mix gold foil or powder with water or use gold electrolyte.However, these conventional methods couldn't produce desired productseconomically and the final products didn't provide sufficienthealth-promoting function because gold remained in foil or powder form.Additionally, safety of gold foil or chemical electrolyte of gold in thehuman body is not yet confirmed. These industrial and technical problemsstill remain unresolved.

Research and development efforts are underway in this technical field inorder to solve these problems and embody the potential health-promotingfunction and disease-curing effect of gold ion and fine gold particle.However, to date only a few technologies have been reported in thisfield, where many developments should be expected in the future.

Only a small number of representative technologies have been publishedas unexamined patent applications. They include an antibacterialbeverage tank containing an inorganic antibacterial agent produced byfixing gold ions or other metal ions offering antibacterial effect tozeolite ion-exchange material (Registered Japanese Utility Model No.3046284), a production of mineral water that contains gold ions andother minerals beneficial to the human body, wherein such mineral wateris produced by setting a mineral carrier in water and causing it torelease gold ions, etc., through addition of acid, electrolysis, orother method (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-220580), and aproduction of sterilizing antiseptic water that offers excellentsterilizing effect at low cost, wherein such antiseptic water isproduced by dissolving gold or other heavy metal in oxidation potentialwater (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-10772).

As explained above, there are strong consumer demands for thedevelopment of high-function fiber products, mainly in the form ofclothes, which offer excellent health-promoting function andcleanliness-improving function. On the other hand, in light of theirpotential as a functional material in the areas of health promotion andcleanliness improvement, noble metal materials may be utilized in thedevelopment of fiber products offering excellent health-promotingfunction and cleanliness-improving function. However, practicaltechnologies are not yet reported at the present.

When the existing publications of unexamined patent applications arestudied, those relating to utilization of noble metal materials in fiberproducts are limited to a few involving coloring or dying of fibermaterials and production of ornaments using fiber materials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As explained above, development of better fiber products is desired forpromotion of health and improvement of cleanliness. On the other hand,noble metal materials have been found to offer potential utility as afunctional material that can promote health and improve cleanliness.However, utilization of noble metal materials is difficult in actualityand there are expectations for the development of simple and economicaltechnologies that can demonstrate high health-promoting function andcleanliness-improving function.

In view of the above situation, the present invention aims to embodytechnology to utilize noble metal materials and allow use of thetechnology in the development of fiber products offering excellenthealth-promoting function and cleanliness-improving function, whilesolving at the same time the aforementioned problems associated withfiber products and noble metal materials.

By solving the aforementioned problems, the present inventioncontributes to the development of fiber products offering excellenthealth-promoting function and cleanliness-improving function and also tothe advancement of future technological development and applicationregarding the utility of ions and fine particles of noble metalmaterials.

The basic modes of applying noble metal materials as proposed by thecurrent technologies are aqueous solution or water dispersion of ionsand fine particles. However, commercialization of these applications ishindered by several problems that must be solved. For example, it isdifficult to dissolve noble metal ions and fine particles in water, andthe only methods available before were those that simply mix gold foilor powder with water or use gold electrolyte. However, theseconventional methods couldn't produce desired products economically andthe final products didn't provide sufficient health-promoting function.

To address this condition, the present invention applies noble metalmaterials in the form of micro-dispersion water. To achievemicro-dispersion water of noble metal material the present inventionutilizes the invention described in “Method and Apparatus for ProducingAqueous Solution of Super-Fine Gold Particles” (Japanese PatentApplication No. 11-327653), a pending patent earlier filed by the sameapplicants.

The present invention treats fiber using a fiber treatment agentcomprising micro-dispersion water in which super-fine noble metalparticles are dispersed, and utilizes a special method to obtainmicro-dispersion water of noble metal material.

The basic structure of the present invention comprising (1) through (4)below, and includes all other applications based on this basicstructure:

(1) A fiber treatment agent comprising micro-dispersion water in whichsuper-fine noble metal particles are dispersed.

(2) A method for treating fiber, wherein fiber is treated using a fibertreatment agent comprising micro-dispersion water in which super-finenoble metal particles are dispersed.

(3) A fiber material or product that contains super-fine noble metalparticles or has the particles externally attached on it, as obtainedthrough treatment using a fiber treatment agent comprisingmicro-dispersion water in which super-fine noble metal particles aredispersed.

(4) A fiber product described in (3), wherein the fiber product is aproduct selected from among panty hoses, socks, gloves, undergarment,shirt, bedding, healthy athletic garment, muffler, towel, supporter andwristband.

Components (1) through (4) of the present invention are explained indetail by referring to the drawings.

Invention component (1) refers to a fiber treatment agent comprisingmicro-dispersion water in which super-fine noble metal particles aredispersed, and provides the basis for invention components (2) through(4). It offers a new treatment agent that adds the health function,antibacterial function and other unique functions of noble metals.

After studying new ways to produce fine powder (fine particles) oftitanium metal, which is considered an important high-function metal andwhose importance is likely to grow further, the inventors developed andfiled a patent application for a method and apparatus for embodying asimple, efficient and economical production of fine titanium powderoffering very high purity and comprising uniform particle shape andsize. The present invention can be applied to metals other thantitanium, such as germanium, zirconium and tin, and the method under thepresent invention has actually been put to commercial applications forsimple and economical production of fine powder of noble metals such asgold, silver or platinum or dispersion of such fine noble metal powder.

Before, it was impossible to dissolve fine noble metal particles inwater, and techniques to disperse them in water only achieved a limitedlevel of dispersibility. However, the method under the present inventionprovides an efficient way to produce dispersion of fine noble metalpowder offering very high purity and comprising uniform particle shapeand size. Such fine powder (fine particles) should be called “super-fineparticles” because their particle size is far smaller than normalparticles comprising fine powder. One feature of the present inventionis to utilize super-fine noble metals particles that have a size ofmicron to nano-order scale and therefore are much smaller than finenoble metal particles. For this reason, the present invention offers farbetter dispersibility of particles as well as far more desirablehealth-promoting efficacy and other benefits of noble metals. In thecontext of the present invention, “micro-dispersion water” refers to anaqueous solution in which the newly developed “super-fine particles” asmentioned above are dispersed.

On the other hand, among other noble metals gold and silver have beenconsidered two of the most valuable materials available to men since theancient times and used chiefly in ornaments and treasures. In recentyears, their benefits in promoting human health and improvingcleanliness have been recognized. In particular, the health benefits ofnoble metals are drawing the attention of late by reflecting the demandsof today's increasingly health-conscious society, and commercialproducts are now available such as an antibacterial material made byfixing gold ions to zeolite or healthy mineral water containing goldions.

As the health-promoting function and disease-curing efficacy of noblemetals come to be known, there are expectations for furthertechnological development to harness such benefits of noble metals. Inaddition, although it is known that noble metals in ion or fine particleform yield more remarkable health-promoting function compared with whenthese metals are used directly or in foil form, no commercialapplications are available yet that offer a health-promoting aqueoussolution or water dispersion containing noble metal ions or fineparticles.

The mechanisms as to why the noble metal materials obtained by thepresent invention offer health-promoting function and disease-curingefficacy, as well as the details of bioactivity embodied by suchmaterials, are not yet clear. Studies are being conducted to uncoverthese mechanisms and bioactivity.

After studying ways to commercially apply these health-promotingfunction and disease-curing efficacy of noble metals and develop theapplication into a new, effective technology, the inventorsconceptualized that the unique functions of noble metals could beeffectively put to commercial use by utilizing the method for producingaqueous solution of super-fine gold particles (Japanese PatentApplication No. 11-327653), a pending patent filed earlier by theinventors. Additionally, the inventors thought that embodying thesefunctions in fiber products such as clothes would fully answer theconsumer's needs for health promotion and cleanliness improvement asmentioned earlier. This thinking led to the development of the presentinvention.

Component (1) of the present invention is explained in details below.

The present invention mainly comprising micro-dispersion water in whichsuper-fine particles of gold, silver, platinum or other noble metal aremicro-dispersed. This micro-dispersion water is produced by the methoddeveloped by the inventors for producing a dispersion of super-finenoble metal particles, as explained below.

This method basically burns a mixture gas of oxygen and hydrogen inhigh-pressure water and heats noble metal material using the resultingcombustion gas, thereby producing a dispersion of super-fine noble metalparticles. To completely eliminate generation of impurities, a mixturegas of oxygen and hydrogen is burned in water and the water iscompressed to high pressures to achieve underwater combustion of themixture gas. To implement this method, an apparatus for producingdispersion water of super-fine noble metal particles is used, whichcomprising a pressure-resistant container equipped with a high-pressurewater tank, an injection nozzle for oxygen and hydrogen mixture gas, animplement for feeding noble metal material, an ignition plug, and acombustion chamber.

The process and apparatus proposed by this production method isexplained using FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of the production process of dispersion water ofsuper-fine noble metal particles used in the present invention, whileFIG. 2 gives a schematic drawing illustrating the apparatus forproducing dispersion water of super-fine noble metal particles used inthe present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a production apparatus for dispersion water ofsuper-fine noble metal particles, 2 is a high-pressure water tank(pressure tank), 3 is raw high-pressure water, 4 is dispersed fine noblemetal particle, 5 is a combustion-gas injection nozzle, 6 is combustiongas, 7 is a combustion chamber, 8 is a raw water inlet, 9 is a hydrogenfeed line, 10 is an oxygen feed line, 11 is an agitator, 12 is anignition plug, 13 is a discharge pump, 14 is a filter, and 15 is anoutlet line for micro-dispersion water product. A water electrolysismechanism, which is 16, may be attached as an adjunct for production ofoxygen and hydrogen mixture gas, wherein 17 is an electrolyticcontainer, 18 is electrolytic water, 19 is an electrode, and 20 is apower supply. Additionally, 21 represents noble metal material, while 22is an implement for feeding noble metal material.

In this production method, purified raw water such as distilled water isintroduced from the water inlet (8) into the pressure tank (2) andcompressed to high pressures to produce high-pressure water (3), whilenoble metal material (21) is fed from the implement for feeding previousmetal (22), such as a cylinder. Hydrogen and oxygen are then fed underhigh pressure, and after further pressurization via a gas pump (P) thetwo gases are injected as a mixture combustion gas (6) from the nozzle(5). The injected gas is ignited by the ignition plug (12) in thecombustion chamber (7) and burned completely to achieve a state ofcomplete steam gas combustion at ultra-high temperature. Noble metalinstantly melts in this combustion gas and disperses in water. Thedispersion water is agitated and mixed by the agitator (11) driven by anelectric motor (M). At this time, super-fine particles of noble metal(4), which have a very small particle size of micron to nano-orderscale, are generated. These super-fine particles seem dissolved, ratherthan dispersed, in water, and a small portion of them is actuallydissolved in water.

Underwater combustion provides the most efficient and stable mode forburning hydrogen and oxygen mixture gas, and high pressure is needed toachieve stable combustion.

The physicochemical reason why noble metal material dissolves instantlyin combustion gas in high-pressure water and becomes super-fineparticles is being studied.

Thus obtained micro-dispersion water is fed by the pump (13) through thefilter housing (14) and delivered as product. When filtered through anappropriate filter (14) for a desired purpose, the dispersion water iscleared of the remaining noble metal material and a trace amount of finenoble metal particles that are larger than super-fine particles. Thisway, refined dispersion water, in which only super-fine particles aredispersed with a portion of them dissolved, can be obtained. Filterednoble metal material and fine noble metal particles can be backwashedand reused to increase cost effectiveness. As for the filter,micron-order hollow-fiber membrane is more desirable than ion-exchangemembrane or reverse-osmosis membrane, in order to filter only super-fineparticles through.

The noble metal material to be fed should ideally be a bar, but it canalso have the shape of sheet, metal foil or particle.

Thus produced noble metal dispersion water is utilized as a material forthe fiber treatment agent described in component (1) of the presentinvention. The generated super-fine noble metal particles have a verystrong hydrophobic property and therefore are dispersed in water in astable manner. They will remain dispersed stably for a long period oftime without coagulating, settling or otherwise separating from water.

These super-fine particles are expected to provide health-promotingfunction or disease-curing efficacy because of their ion-releasingaction, very large active surface area, unique properties of each noblemetal itself, and fine interaction with water molecules. Littletheoretical explanations have been offered to date as to the bioactivefunctions of super-fine noble metal particles in the human body, such astheir health-promoting function and disease-curing efficacy. However, itis assumed that super-fine particles contact the skin directly andactivate the human cells, or stimulate the biological acupuncture pointsin key areas of the human body to promote the metabolism of muscles andcleansing of blood.

The volumes of hydrogen and oxygen gases must be controlled accuratelyto a ratio of two to one. The reaction time and amount of fuel gas to beburned must also be controlled, because a shorter reaction time will notproduce dispersion water offering desired effects, while an excessivelylonger reaction time will result in over-dispersion and higher cost.

As a specific example, to produce one ton of dispersion water themixture gas should be injected for around two hours at a rate of aroundfive liters per minute. An excessive gas pressure may damage theapparatus, while an insufficient pressure will allow the gas to flowupward from the nozzle, thereby causing the heated micro-pieces of noblemetal material to be wrapped up in air bubbles and diffuse out of water,which will hinder effective generation of super-fine noble metalparticles. A desirable atmospheric pressure is around 3.5 atmospheres.The pressure of the high-pressure water in the pressure tank should bearound 2 atmospheres.

In this apparatus, it is more advantageous to attach an electrolysismechanism (16) as an adjunct and use the hydrogen and oxygen obtained bythis mechanism. Hydrogen and oxygen supplied from water electrolysis arepure gases and have the volume ratio for ideal combustion (2:1). Waterelectrolysis also provides an easy way to supply hydrogen and oxygen.

The electrolysis mechanism (16) may use a normal apparatus designed forsuch purpose, comprising a container (17) that stores electrolytic water(18) and an electrolytic electrode (19). The electrode is connected to apower supply (20). Acid or alkali raw water is electrolyzed to generateoxygen gas at the anode and hydrogen gas at the cathode, which are thensupplied as material gases for causing combustion.

The application of the fiber treatment agent proposed by component (1)of the present invention, which aims at embodying the unique functionsof noble metals, encompasses fiber materials and products. They includebase fiber materials such as short fibers and long fibers, fibermaterials such as woven fabrics and non-woven fabrics, and fiberproducts such as various clothes and beddings.

Fiber materials may be natural fibers such as cotton and silk,semi-synthetic fibers such as rayon and acetate, and synthetic fiberssuch as polyester fibers, polyamide fibers and acrylic fibers.

Representative fiber products include clothing article used in daily usesuch as panty hoses, socks, gloves, undergarments, shirts, beddings suchas sheets and pajamas, healthy athletic garments, mufflers, supportersand wristbands, and towels and handkerchiefs. In particular, the presentinvention is effective in the treatment of fibers for use in pantyhoses, socks and undergarments, since they contact the skin directly andconstantly.

The fiber treatment agent provided by component (1) of the presentinvention uses dispersion water of super-fine noble metal particles asobtained by the aforementioned production method. The obtained productmay be used directly as, or diluted or condensed as appropriate into, atreatment agent.

It is assumed that the bioactive functions exhibited by super-fine noblemetal particles in the human body, such as health-promoting function anddisease-curing efficacy, are embodied as the super-fine particlescontact the skin directly and activate the human cells, or stimulate thebiological acupuncture points in key areas of the human body to promotethe metabolism of muscles and cleansing of blood. In reality, super-finenoble metal particles have been shown to be effective in promotingperspiration, relieving fatigue, increasing energy level, enhancingstamina, increasing appetite, lowering blood pressure, and so on.

Component (2) of the present invention provides a method for treatingfiber, wherein fiber is treated using a fiber treatment agent comprisingmicro-dispersion water in which super-fine noble metal particles aredispersed. As for the means of treatment, impregnation, attachment,mixing, etc., may be adopted as deemed appropriate.

Under the impregnation treatment method, fiber material, clothing, etc.,is soaked in micro-dispersion water of super-fine noble metal particles,after which the material is wrung and dried as necessary.

Under the attachment treatment method, micro-dispersion water ofsuper-fine noble metal particles is directly applied or sprayed ontofiber material, clothing, etc., after which the material is dried asnecessary.

Under the mixing treatment method, micro-dispersion water of super-finenoble metal particles is mixed with the processing solution, etc., inthe production process of fiber material, so as to allow the super-fineparticles to mix into the microstructure of the fiber itself.

Component (3) of the present invention provides a fiber material orproduct that contains super-fine noble metal particles or has theparticles externally attached on it, wherein such fiber material/productis obtained through treatment using a fiber treatment agent comprisingmicro-dispersion water in which super-fine noble metal particles aredispersed, while component (4) of the present invention relates to afiber product obtained through treatment using a fiber treatment agentcomprising micro-dispersion water in which super-fine noble metalparticles are dispersed, typically embodied as panty hoses, socks,gloves, undergarment, shirt, bedding, healthy athletic garment, muffler,towel, supporter or wristband.

Attachment of super-fine noble metal particles on fiber productsobtained by the present invention has been confirmed on enlargedelectron microscope photographs. The particles are attached/fixed firmlyand they are rarely removed by normal washing. This is probably becausethe micro-protrusion structure near fiber surface is wrapping and thusprotecting the fine particles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart outlining the process for producing dispersionwater of super-fine noble metal particles as proposed by the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing illustrating the apparatus for producingdispersion water of super-fine noble metal particles as proposed by thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS

1: Apparatus for producing dispersion 2: Pressure tank water ofsuper-fine noble metal particles 3: Pressurized water 4: Fine noblemetal particles 5: Injection nozzle 6: Mixture gas 7: Combustion chamber8: Inlet for pressurized water 9: Hydrogen feed line 10: Oxygen feedline 11: Agitator 12: Ignition plug 13: Pump 14: Filter 15: Productdelivery line 16: Electrolysis mechanism 17: Electrolytic container 18:Electrolytic water 19: Electrode 20: Power supply 21: Noble metalmaterial 22: Implement for feeding noble metal material

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Examples of the present invention are explained according to thedrawings. Note, however, that the present invention is not limited tothese examples.

EXAMPLE 1 Production of Fiber Treatment Agent

FIG. 2 shows a representative example of apparatus for producingtreatment agent as proposed by the present invention. This apparatus (1)comprises a high-pressure tank (2), an injection nozzle for hydrogen andoxygen mixture gas (5), and a combustion chamber for mixture gas (7),and implements the method for producing dispersion water in whichsuper-fine noble metal particles are dissolved.

The specific action is as follows. The production container is apressure-resistant tank (2) made of metal, or preferably steel, intowhich raw water for producing pressurized water (3) is fed through aninlet (8). At the same time, a bar of noble metal material (21) isinserted and the high-pressure water is agitated and mixed by anagitator (11) driven by an electric motor (M). A combustion chamber (7)is provided around the injection nozzle (5) for the hydrogen and oxygenmixture gas (6) fed from a hydrogen feed line (9) and an oxygen feedline (10), and the mixture gas is ignited by an ignition plug (12) andburned completely to achieve a state of complete steam gas combustion atultra-high temperature. This combustion gas instantly melts the noblemetal, and consequently dispersion water in which super-fine noble metalparticles are partially dissolved is produced. The dispersion water isfed by a pump (13) through a filter housing (14) and delivered asproduct.

Conditions

Pressurized water: 1 ton of water Pressure: 2 kg/m²

Mixture gas: 5 L/sec, 3.5 atmospheres

Injection time: 2 hours

Noble metal fed: 50 g

Produced dispersion water: Approx. 1 ton

The produced dispersion water was diluted to approximately twice theoriginal volume using distilled water to obtain a fiber treatment agentas described in component (1) of the present invention.

EXAMPLE 2

Treatment Using Fiber Treatment Agent:

Ten adult males and females were instructed to wear an undergarmenttreated with dispersion water in which super-fine gold particles aredispersed, and its efficacies and effects on promoting health and curingdisease were verified. The results are summarized in “Table 1.” Theefficacies and effects were verified in the same manner after washingthe garment five times. (a: Immediately after treatment, b: afterwashing five times)

* The figures in the table indicate the numbers of persons among the 10subjects who felt that the undergarment was effective.

Comparison example: The subjects wore an undergarment treated withmineral water containing magnetic components. TABLE 1 The presentComparison invention example Evaluated undergarment a b a b Promotion ofperspiration 8 6 2 0 Enhancement of stamina 7 5 0 0 Increase in appetite3 3 0 0 Relief of fatigue 8 8 1 0 Lowering of high blood pressure 3 3 00 Increase in energy level 4 4 2 1 Curing of skin disease 2 1 0 0

According to the above results, the undergarment treated with the fibertreatment agent proposed by the present invention showed remarkableefficacies and effects in promoting health and curing disease, while theundergarment treated with commercially available mineral watercontaining magnetic components, which are considered health materials,showed little effects. Additionally, while the function of theundergarment obtained through the present invention remained relativelyintact after repeated washings, the comparison product resulted in afurther drop in its function.

INDUSTRIAL FIELD OF APPLICATION

As explained in details and described by examples above, the presentinvention provides a fiber treatment agent utilizing a newly developedmethod for producing dispersion water of super-fine noble metalparticles, and the fiber products treated with the agent deliverremarkable effects on promoting health and curing disease as a result ofthe bioactive action of super-fine noble metal particles. This fibertreatment agent is also resistant to repeated washings and is thereforesuitable for practical use.

1. A method for treating fiber, wherein fiber is treated using a fiber treatment agent comprising micro-dispersion water in which super-fine noble metal particles are dispersed.
 2. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said micro-dispersion water of super-fine noble metal particles is obtained by combusting a gas mixture comprising oxygen and hydrogen in highly pressurized water and then heating and melting a noble metal in the water by the resulting combustion gas.
 3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the super-fine noble metal particles are made of gold, silver or platinum.
 4. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the super-fine noble metal particles are made of gold.
 5. A method for producing a fiber treatment agent comprising a micro-dispersion water containing super-fine noble metal particles, comprising: combusting a gas mixture comprising oxygen and hydrogen in highly pressurized water; and then heating and melting a noble metal in the water by the resulting combustion gas, thereby obtaining a micro-dispersion water containing super-fine noble metal particles dispersed therein, said super-fine noble metal particles having a strong hydrophobic property and having a size on the order of 10⁻⁶-10⁻⁹ m.
 6. The method as described in claim 5, wherein the noble metal is gold, silver or platinum.
 7. The method as described in claim 5, wherein in the step of obtaining the micro-dispersion water, only the super-fine noble metal particles are dispersed in the micro-dispersion water.
 8. A method of producing a fiber material or product comprising: providing the fiber treatment agent according to claim 5; and treating a fiber with the fiber treatment agent, wherein the fiber material or product has the particles externally attached thereon.
 9. The method as described in claim 8, wherein the fiber is a textile fiber selected from among panty hoses, socks, gloves, undergarment, shirt, bedding, healthy athletic garment, muffler, towel, supporter, and wristband. 